Essay #2 – Reflecting on Unit 1
In Unit 1, we have studied:
Human Development
Stem Cells
Cloning
Genetics
Epigenetics
Choose one of the above topics and find an article in a reputable primary or secondary source (e.g., a peer-reviewed journal article, Smithsonian, Newsweek, Time) that reports on a new advance (within the last few years) in this area; such advances could be new hormone therapy, new gene therapy tests, new applications of stem cells, recent cloning experiments, new findings for the genes that control certain disorders or diseases. If you need help with your research, the DBU Library is available and can do consultations online or over the phone. The DBU Writing Center is also an excellent resource you can use to help you construct and edit your essay, and I strongly encourage you to use them, especially if you are not accustomed to composing college-level essays.
Once you have found your article, write an essay that:
1) summarizes the article
2) connects it to the material you have learned in Unit 1
3) discusses how you can use this information in a practical way in your own life and in serving others
To clarify, please do not just give me a summary of what you have already learned in the class on one of these topics. An essay that goes over the development of an egg to a fetus would not be what I am looking for in this essay….however, a discussion of a new test that can be done in utero to diagnose a particular disease would qualify as a topic for this essay.
If you have any questions about your source or your topic, please email me ahead of the deadline to see if what you have chosen is suitable for the essay.
Your paper should be 800-1000 words in length with college-level grammar and writing skills. The essay should be your own original work (no plagiarism).
It will be graded based on the following criteria:
Appropriate article chosen: recent advance (within the last few years) in a topic related to Unit 1
Length of essay: 800-1000 words
Grammar / writing skills: at college level
Summary of article: should be clear, well-explained, demonstates understanding of the material and be in your own words (no direct quotes)
Connection to Unit 1: should tie the material in the article into what we have learned in class, lecture and/or lab
Personal discussion: should relate the material to your life in a practical way, should include how the information learned can be used to serve others
Source(s) cited: any routine formatting for citation of sources is acceptable